The Museum of Flight in Seattle will host the 84th Doolittle Raiders Memorial Toast April 18, 2026.
The public is invited to honor the legacy of the American Air Force Doolittle Raiders by participating in a decades-long Air Force traditional toast. During the event, Air and Space Forces Association members, military units at home and abroad, and citizens around the world will raise a glass in commemoration of the April 18, 1942, U.S. Army Air Force’s first bombing raid on Japan, led by Army Lt. Col. James H. Doolittle. The crews of the 16 B-25B Mitchell bombers involved in the operation are known as Doolittle’s Raiders.
The program, which begins at noon, will feature the presentation of the colors by the University of Washington Air Force ROTC Color Guard; recognition of the Doolittle Raiders’ family members in attendance; a short historical presentation; a live stream of memorial events across the globe; and a toast.
Following the toast, author John Fredrickson will discuss the book “Doolittle Raid Doctor,” which is a firsthand account of the Tokyo bombing and escape from occupied China by Doolittle Raid flight surgeon “Doc” White.
The event is free for museum members and with general admission.
The Doolittle Raiders held annual reunions from 1947 to 2013 to commemorate their 1942 Tokyo raid. Famous for their “Goblet Ceremony,” surviving members toasted fallen comrades and turned their engraved silver goblets upside down. The final reunion occurred in 2013, with a last survivor passing away in 2019.
For more information: MuseumOfFlight.org
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